BRITAIN looks set for its first poll on membership of the European Union since 1975 yesterday as a backbench Bill passed its first test in Parliament.

Tory MP Bob Neill launched the second bid to put a referendum on the statute books after a similar Bill failed last year. 

Labour’s front bench led opposition to the plans but three red rebels were among the 283 MPs who marched through the lobby to boost the prospect of a 2017 poll. 

Kelvin Hopkins passionately put the case for Britain’s leftward exit to his Labour colleagues in the Commons. 

“I’ve spent my life campaigning for democratic socialism and I think the EU is not just anti-democratic — it’s actually anti-socialist,” he said.

“I want to see countries in Europe free to develop their economies as they see fit. 

“If that happens to be a socialist or a neo-liberal view then so be it but it should be the people of those countries who choose how to govern themselves.”

But shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander insisted that holding an in-out referendum was not “in the national interest.”

He said Labour believed that pushing for a vote “puts jobs and investment at risk” and instead committed to consulting the country only if more powers were moved to Brussels.

But Mr Hopkins revealed that there were leading Labour figures close to leader Ed Miliband “who do privately support the referendum.”

Labour MP Kate Hoey warned that British taxpayers’ cash was being spent on “educational publicity which is going to actually promote” the EU.

“If we were to have a referendum, it’s really, really important the EU is not allowed to use our money to actually campaign against people having a say,” she said.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said a referendum would be good for the government’s “negotiating position” over EU reforms. 

In his maiden speech as a Ukip MP, Douglas Carswell condemned the Tories’ “smoke and mirrors” tactics that shroud their support for the EU. 

If the Bill passes the scrutiny of a committee of MPs, it will be voted on again before the end of the year.